Indicating electric switch.



1. RADO.

INDICATING ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 41 I915. RENEWED JAN. 11.1917.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

[NV/VTOR. BY f Afro/av Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.rosnrn BADO, or CLEVELAND, onro.

. mmcarme'nmcrarc swrrcn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-Patented Apr. 3, 1917.,

Application filed March 4, 1915, Serial No. 12,135; Renewed January 11, 1917. Serial 110. 141,915. l

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH RAM), a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches and particularly to the manner of automaticall indicating the location of said switches.

nder ordinary conditions when it is desired to turn on the lights in a darkened room it is necessary to grope around in order to find the switch for controlling the illumination of the room.

' With my invention I provide a pilot lamp or signal in association with the switch which is automatically caused to light when the room becomes darkened. The'pilot lamp is preferably lighted from the same current which supplies the lamps used for illuminating purposes. The. pilot lamp is of low .voltage as compared with the illuminating lamps and-when thesame source of current is used for both, then a suitable form of resistance is placed in series with the pilot lamp. In addition to the pilot lamp I provide a selenium cell which is connected in multiple with the pilot lamp.

Selenium cells have the characteristic of ,lowering their resistance when exposed to thelight and of increasing their resistance 3 when placed in darkness. The resistance of placed in multiple with the pilot lamp shunts a greater portion of the current'flowing through the resistance coil and so preresistance of the selenium cellincreases; thereby allowing more current to flow through the pilot lamp and causing its illumination. 3

While I have shown my invention as applied to switches of the push button type, it naturally follows that switches of other types may be employed. When switches of the former type are used I prefer to mount jthepilot-lamp within one of the push but tons as illustrated in the drawin flyingd aw uis alplan of the tch containing a pilot lamp.

lamp is mounted.

the cell when exposed to the light and when vents the pilot lamp from lighting. When, however, the room becomes darkened, the

y 'invention is illustrated in the accorn- Fig. 2is a section showing the construct on of the push button in which the pilot Fig. 3 is a plan view of a two-button switch with a portion of the front' plate cut away. I

Fig. 4 is a side view of a two-button switch partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the circuit connections.

Fig. 2 plainly shows the method of mounting the lamp within the push button. In order to remove the lampthe portion 1 of the button is turned as it is threaded into the portion 24 which carries the lamp base and its connections. The selenium cell 6 is also mounted or embedded in the portion 24 .of push button. After the po'rt'fon 1 of the button is removed the bulb 2 is rendered accessible. This bulb is turned in order to remove it from the portion 2a with which its base is threaded. I 1

The connections for the lamp terminate in the lugs or ears 4 and 8. When the button containing the lamp is in its non-depressed position these lugs or ears complete the circuit connections for the" lamp as plainly indicated in Figs. 3, t and 5.

Figs. 2' and 5 plainly show the manner in which the selenium cell 6 is connected in multiplevwith the terminals of the lamp 2.

The shell or cap. 1 of the push button is proapplied my invention. When the buttons are in the position shown in Fig. 4, thecircuit which controls the lamps used for illuminating purposes is broken. When,

however, the lower button containing the pilot lamp is depressed the circult 1s closed by the end 15- of the conducting segment A engaging the terminal 14 and the end 12 engaging the terminal 13. This segment A is pivoted at 25 and serves to open or close the circuit, depending upon which button is depressed. When the button is depressed for closing the circuit for the illuminating lamps the lugs or ears 4 and 8 break the circuit connection extending to the pilot lamp 2.

The circuit conditions are plainly shown in Fig. '5. G represents a generator or source of current for lighting the lamps. 10 IS a resistance coil in series with the pilot lamp poses and, of course, any number of these 2 which is in multiple with the selenium cell 6. 50 is a lamp used for illumin'ating purlamps may be used.

When'the pilot lamp button is in its nondepresse'l position, as shown, the circuit for N the lamp 2 is closed bythe following path:

- the resistance 10 by way of the circuit just traced will pass through the cell 6',thereby preventing the lighting of the lamp 2.

a plet'ing the circuit lamp 50. The depression of this button which causes When, however, the room becomes darkened the resistance of the cell 6 increases thereby. allowing enough current .to flow by way of the path previously traced to pass through the lamp 52 causing it 'tolight. The lighting of this lamp ,plainl'y indicates the position of the switch or button. When it is desired to turn on the lights in the rooimthe button containing the lamp is depressed thereby causing the portion 15 of segment A to engage the terminal 14: and the portion 12 to engage the terminal 13 thereby comthe lighting of the lamp 50 also causes the circuit connections to the lamp 2 to be broken thereby extinguishing it.' 1

My invention is particularly applicable when used in conjunction with a group of push buttons. lnapartment houses it is customary to place a group of push buttons for signaling purposes in the vestibule and designate such buttons by number. With my invention when the lamp is mounted within the button, the window or opening of the button can be provided with a suitable number which is illuminated by the piloit lamp when the vestibule becomes darkene Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure bylhetters Patent is:

1. The combination with an electric switch, of an illuminating lamp controlled by said switch, a pilot lamp illuminating said switch, ,means comprising a selenium cell associated with said switch for automatically causing said pilot lamp to light when said illuminating lamp is extinguished, additional means for causing said pilot lamp to be extinguished when said illuminating lamp is lighted.

2. The combination with an electric switch, of an illuminating lamp controlled by said switch, a push button actuating said switch containing a pilot lamp, means comfor the illuminating menace prising a selenium cell associated with said switch for automatically causing said pilot lamp to light when said illuminating lamp is extinguished, additional means for causing said'pilot lamp to be extinguished when said illuminatinglamp is lighted.

' 3. The combination with an electric switch, of a push button actuating said switch, a pilot lamp mounted within said push button, automatic means comprising 'a selenium cell for causing said lamp to,

light when said push button is in its normal position, additional means for causing said lampto become extinguished when said push button is depressed.

a. The combination with an -electric switch, of a push button actuating said electric Elli for indicating the location of said switch,,

means for illuminating said lamp, means comprising a selenium cell for controlling .the illuminating of the pilot lamp, additional means for preventing the illumination of said lamp.

6. The combination with an electric switch, of a pilot lamp associated withand for indicating the position of said switch,

means for illuminating said lamp, a selenium cell connected in multiple with sald lamp for regulating the illumination of said "lamp.

'7. The combination with an electric switch, of a push button actuating said switch, of a pilot lamp, a selenium cellconnected in multiple with said lamp, said cell controlling the illumination of said lamp,

means controlled by said button for controlling the action of said selenium cell.

8. The combination with a switch, of a ,7 push button actuating said switch, a pilot whether said lamp shall be lighted or can tinguished.

9. The combination with a switch, of a button actuating said switch, a pilot lamp mounted within said button, of means ,com-

prising a selenium cell also mounted within said button for controlling the illumination of said lamp, of means controlled by said button for in turn controllingthe action of said selenium cell.

10. The combination with a switch, of an when said illuminating lamp is extinguished, manual means for causing said pilot lamp to be extinguished when said illuminating lamp is lighted. I

'11. The combination with a switch, of a button actuating said switch, a pilot lamp, means comprising a selenium cell for controlling the lighting of said lamp, means said lamp.

In testimony whereof I ZLfllX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

Witnesses ADA DEHN, H. POLATSEK.

JOSEPH BADO. 

